Middle East Strain Continues: Z-Tel Stands Behind U.S. Servicemen and Women

Due to demand for free voice email service, Z-Tel extends Operation Connect" through Fathers Day and beyond

Tampa, Fla. (PRWEB) June 15, 2003 --- Operation Connect", a free public service offered to military families nationwide by Z-Tel Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ/SC: ZTEL) in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom, remains available to military families who wish to send warm wishes to their dads serving overseas this Fathers Day, Sunday, June 15. On Fathers Day, Z-Tel expects hundreds of military families to access the service to send personalized, voice-recorded email messages to their loved ones serving overseas. Military families are not required to purchase any Z-Tel service to take advantage of Operation Connect.

With the recent troop deployments and continued controversies in the Middle East, Z-Tel remains supportive of U.S. servicemen and women who have sacrificed this time away from their families," commented Gregg Smith, CEO and president for Z-Tel. We want to show our ongoing support by continuing to offer unlimited, free of charge voice emails to keep them connected during this difficult time -- a time when a father should be with his family. Voice emails overcome the challenges of expensive international calls, often-unreliable phone and mail service in the field, and call scheduling difficulty."

Military Organizations and Families Recognize Operation Connect

Operation Connect is recognized by the USO (United Service Organizations) of Metropolitan Washington, the largest USO chapter in the country, as a unique voice email service for military families seeking cost-effective ways to stay in touch with men and women of the Armed Forces. The voice email technology makes communication easy and secure," said Elaine Rogers, president, USO of Metropolitan Washington.

My husband was deployed overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom for several months, and Z-Tels service came as an unexpected and amazing surprise," said Dawn Miller, wife of AF Sergeant Tom Miller, stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, in Tampa, Florida. Our two boys, myself, and even my in-laws, used the voice email to send messages to Tom while in Iraq. It was just so wonderful."

Each day, members of the US Armed Service leave their families and loved ones to enter basic training, or report to active or reserve duty. Millions of family members around the country seek ways to stay connected to their loved ones who are away," added Lisa Miller, founder and executive director of Families of Military Personnel (FMP), and communication during times of deployment is key to both their well-being and that of their loved ones who are serving. Operation Connect comforts them by allowing them to reach out to their loved ones who are serving in a personal, simple way."

Operation Connect captures the sound of the senders voice in an email format and sends the one-minute message via a .wav file to the recipients email account, accessible via the Internet at remote military bases around the world. To take advantage of Operation Connect, families only need the email addresses of those service people they want to communicate with and access to a telephone.

Military families throughout the country can get more information and register at www.ztel-usa.com or by calling 1-888-ZTEL-USA (983-5872).

About USO Metro

USO Metro is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is "to serve those who serve...and their families," from Baltimore to Quantico. The USO of Metropolitan Washington receives no federal, state or local funding. However, the generous financial support of the local community enables us to provide many free services to the military. On a daily basis we provide vital human services and programs. Remember, USO-Metro is always here for you. Visit www.usometrodc.org for more information.

About Families of Military Personnel

Families of Military Personnel is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the well-being of families and their loved ones enlisted in the United States Armed Services. Through a national membership network of Community Support Posts across the country, we provide support, services, education and access to military advisors so that every family member is well informed and can serve as a source of strength at home. Donations are accepted to support the programs of FMP and its members, either online at www.fmpusa.org or by calling toll-free 1-800- 272-2227.

About Z-Tel

Z-Tel was founded in the wake of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. With the establishment
of the Unbundled Network Element-Platform (UNE-P), competitive telecommunications companies gained the ability to provide telephone service to customers using the incumbent local telephone providers network. Z-Tel was formed around UNE-P with the vision of developing technology that would imbue the telephone with Intelligent Dial Tone," changing telephone service to be personalized to meet consumers and businesses diverse communications needs intelligently and intuitively. Z-Tel offers residential and business customers in 47 states value-added bundled local and long distance phone service with proprietary Internet-accessible calling and messaging features. Z-Tel also makes these services available on a wholesale basis. For more information about Z-Tel and its innovative services, please visit www.ztel.com.